Wine News From Coast to Coast For Every Table

SACRAMENTO — State Senators Bill Dodd (D-Napa) and Mike McGuire (D-Healdsburg) have been appointed as co-chairs on the Senate Select Committee on California’s Wine Industry. The committee is made up of a bipartisan group of senators from around the state who are charged with overseeing the diverse issues affecting California’s wine industry.

California makes 90 percent of all the wine produced in the United States. The California wine industry has an annual economic impact of more than $57 billion to the state and creates 325,000 jobs. The wine industry is also an essential part of California tourism, bringing in upwards of 23 million tourists annually. Wineries in the Senators’ districts are particularly integral to local tourism, accounting for more than half of all tourists’ spending on wine throughout all of California.

When Price Is No Object

NEW YORK — The first tranche of Sotheby’s three-part “Monumental Collection” achieved achieved $1,886,918 over the weekend in New York, exceeding its $1.2 million – $1.6 million estimate with an impressive 96 percent of lots sold.

Part I saw 40 percent of its 343 lots on offer selling above their high estimate, with 60 percent of the lots sold to international buyers. The successful sale was led by a remarkable 84 lots of legendary Masseto; the ensemble of Super Tuscan merlot achieved $370,000, far exceeding its pre-sale high estimate of $301,700.

Further highlights included five bottles of 1991 Jean-Louis Chave Ermitage, Cuvée Cathelin, which fetched $31,850— the highest price per bottle ever achieved at auction for this particular wine. Three bottles of 1990 Jean-Louis Chave Ermitage, Cuvée Cathelin also garnered a record-setting price of $26,950, with both lots selling to a private South American buyer.

Part I saw 40 percent of its 343 lots on offer selling above their high estimate, with 60 percent of the lots sold to international buyers. The successful sale was led by a remarkable 84 lots of legendary Masseto; the ensemble of Super Tuscan merlot achieved $370,000, far exceeding its pre-sale high estimate of $301,700.

Further highlights included 5 bottles of 1991 Jean-Louis Chave Ermitage, Cuvée Cathelin, which fetched $31,850— the highest price per bottle ever achieved at auction for this particular wine. 3 bottles of 1990 Jean-Louis Chave Ermitage, Cuvée Cathelin also garnered a record-setting price of $26,950, with both lots selling to a private South American buyer.

The second part of the auction is set for March 29 in London and the final part is in Hong Kong on April 1. Pre-auction estimates suggested the collection was expected to raise in excess of $5.3 million (£4.3 million/HK$41.1m.)

An award-winning journalist, Gevirtz spent more than 20 years covering disasters—natural, political, and financial—before becoming Reuters’ wine correspondent; a beat that guaranteed her colleagues were always glad to see her.